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𝐓𝐖: 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐕𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞
𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐆: 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐓𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐰𝐢𝐟𝐭
...✵...
A gentle breeze blew through my hair as I sat in the gardens, Wren lying peacefully in my lap. I could feel the poison's lingering effects, but at least I was relieved of some of my duties. I ran my fingers through Wren's soft hair, trying to let the moment's tranquility wash over me.
"There you are," a voice whispered from behind.
I turned to see Arthur walking toward me, his presence both comforting and troubling.
"You shouldn't be here," I said softly.
"I wanted to see you," he replied, his blue eyes earnest.
"Thea won't like it," I warned, my voice tinged with anxiety.
"She's not who I would have chosen as my betrothed," he confessed.
"No?" I asked, my heart aching at the truth in his words.
Arthur sat beside me, his proximity making it hard to ignore how my body yearned for his touch.
"No." He answered.
I turned from him and tried to focus on anything but him, yet my eyes drifted back. I knew the consequences if Thea or Lady Vestalis found us together—their threats still echoed in my mind.
"I don't trust this new physician," Arthur said after a moment.
I looked into his eyes. "No?"
"There's something about him," Arthur continued. "I don't know."
"If you don't trust him, there must be a reason," I said gently.
"But what if it's all in my head?" he asked, frustration evident. "What if I'm seeing things because I don't want Gaius to be replaced?"
"That may be true," I acknowledged. "But wouldn't you rather be wrong instead of sitting back and doing nothing?"
"You're something else," Arthur said, a small smile playing on his lips. "How is it you always know the right thing to say?"
I shrugged. "I guess you can call it a gift."
Arthur's smile widened, and for a moment, everything else faded away. He leaned down, pressing a soft kiss onto my cheek. My breath caught in my throat, and I watched him stand and walk away, the warmth of his lips lingering on my skin.
"Did Arthur leave?" a small voice asked, pulling me back to reality.
I looked down to see Wren staring up at me with sleepy eyes. "Yes, little one," I answered.
